Creating an evacuation plan is an
important step your family should take toward emergency preparedness. If
a disaster requiring evacuation strikes your household, you and your
family members will need to know where to safely meet. It’s also a good
idea to decide on a safe meeting place inside your home should a
disaster not requiring evacuation strike. Once your plan is
constructed, practice it at least four times a year. Make sure you
frequently remind family members, especially small children, of your
emergency evacuation plan.
1) Make
sure your family members and guests know the layout and exits in your
home. You may want to consider labeling all the exits so no confusion
arises.
2) Plan
for areas where your family members sleep or spend an extended amount
of time. If you have bedrooms on upper levels of your home, make sure
you have enough fire ladders
for every family member who may be trapped in those areas. Also, make
sure your basement window wells have sturdy ladders that can be used as a
means for emergency evacuations.
3) Label the gas, water, and electricity shutoff valves to your home and familiarize yourself with a gas shutoff tool and proper shutoff measures. CAUTION: Do not turn your gas off. If you do, the gas company will have to come to your home to turn the gas back on.
4) Establish a safe, familiar meeting place outside your home.
5) Conduct
emergency evacuation drills at least four times a year. Make sure these
drills involve every family member in your household.
6) Make sure you have easy access to your 72-hour/emergency kits.
Placing these items close to exits and bedsides will ensure your family
members have the supplies they'll need when accessing your home is not
an option.
7) Assign
a family member to evacuate any pets you may have. Make sure this plan
does not involve the risk of any family member’s life! You may also want
to consider keeping pet emergency kits alongside your emergency supplies.
8) Keep emergency contact information with every emergency supply kit you have and designate more than one emergency contact.
9) When
practicing your evacuation plan, make sure you keep the ages and
abilities of your family members in mind. Small children and the elderly
may require special accommodations.
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